Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads for the 8P RS3

[45bvtc]

FULL credit to Arkious for recommending in the first place.

I reviewed available reports and having been convinced put a set of these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads on our recently purchased SQ5 (@ 2500kg) and was immediately impressed with their performance; great low speed 'bite' with low noise and very low dust - as good if not lower than EBC Redstuff that I have used and recommended for some time for the 8P RS3, however...

See Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads: https://www.ferodo.co.uk/products/light-vehicles/eco-friction-brake-pads.html

"Already fitted as Original Equipment on Mercedes-Benz C-Class since March 2014 and Audi A4 since September 2015"

So impressed I'm now running these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads on our 8P RS3, and 8J TT, too.

And this week, I fitted a set (FDB1877 and FDB1636) on yet another 8P RS3 - changing over from 2/3 worn Redstuff: once fitted I gave 'em my usual bedding-in process and was immediately impressed.

And the owner 'back home' reported "so far great, obviously not used in anger but the slow speeds bite is much improved even at this early stage..."

Front and rear for the 8P RS3 at less than £85 delivered from Buyanycarpart (eBay)

 

[V6_Man]

FULL credit to Arkious for recommending in the first place.

I reviewed available reports and having been convinced put a set of these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads on our recently purchased SQ5 (@ 2500kg) and was immediately impressed with their performance; great low speed 'bite' with low noise and very low dust - as good if not lower than EBC Redstuff that I have used and recommended for some time for the 8P RS3, however...

See Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads: https://www.ferodo.co.uk/products/light-vehicles/eco-friction-brake-pads.html

"Already fitted as Original Equipment on Mercedes-Benz C-Class since March 2014 and Audi A4 since September 2015"

So impressed I'm now running these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads on our 8P RS3, and 8J TT, too.

And this week, I fitted a set (FDB1877 and FDB1636) on yet another 8P RS3 - changing over from 2/3 worn Redstuff: once fitted I gave 'em my usual bedding-in process and was immediately impressed.

And the owner 'back home' reported "so far great, obviously not used in anger but the slow speeds bite is much improved even at this early stage..."

Front and rear for the 8P RS3 at less than £85 delivered from Buyanycarpart (eBay)

Interesting read as always John. I am once again looking at changing the brake setup on the S4 and have a few options to choose from. The EBC USR/Redstuff has served me well until last month when I started getting brake judder at high speeds. I have been trying your suggestions, hard stops and let the discs cool, which seem to have served the purpose and fixed the judder I can still see carbon deposits from the pads. Close inspection also reveals an uneven wear on the pads (I believe and not 100%), I will find out on 17th when car goes in for MoT and annual service.

I have been using at uprating the brake setup and have a few options to consider from:

Option 1:
RS6 6-Pot Brembo with 400" front and 365s rears along with the custom brackets. The flip side is I will have to either go 20s or buy 390s for the fronts and I will not be able to fit them under stock 19s. I really like the 19 rotors and changing to 20s means another £2k-£2.5k for 390 discs, 20 alloys and tyres.

Option 2:
Porsche Macan/Q5 4-pot Brembo which is a bolt on. Use stock size 345 Stoptech rotors fronts and rears and DS2500 pads. However, I am not sure if I can fit 365s under 4-pot brembos or not. This setup whether 345 or 365 will cost half the price of RS.

What do you reckon? Need your expert opinion mate

 

[45bvtc]

Interesting read as always John. I am once again looking at changing the brake setup on the S4 and have a few options to choose from. The EBC USR/Redstuff has served me well until last month when I started getting brake judder at high speeds. I have been trying your suggestions, hard stops and let the discs cool, which seem to have served the purpose and fixed the judder I can still see carbon deposits from the pads. Close inspection also reveals an uneven wear on the pads (I believe and not 100%), I will find out on 17th when car goes in for MoT and annual service.

I have been using at uprating the brake setup and have a few options to consider from:

Option 1:
RS6 6-Pot Brembo with 400" front and 365s rears along with the custom brackets. The flip side is I will have to either go 20s or buy 390s for the fronts and I will not be able to fit them under stock 19s. I really like the 19 rotors and changing to 20s means another £2k-£2.5k for 390 discs, 20 alloys and tyres.

Option 2:
Porsche Macan/Q5 4-pot Brembo which is a bolt on. Use stock size 345 Stoptech rotors fronts and rears and DS2500 pads. However, I am not sure if I can fit 365s under 4-pot brembos or not. This setup whether 345 or 365 will cost half the price of RS.

What do you reckon? Need your expert opinion mate

Drop your registration into the Ferodo link, Tash, and find the FDB pads for your car and then check with 'buyanycarpart' on eBay and for £100 or less I'd drop in a set of these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads and evaluate

If, and you need to check, they're FDB1629 front and FDB1655 rear then these are £34.98 and £30.99 from buyanycarpart, delivered. I think for £65.97 I'd give these a try first - they sure stop a 2500kg SQ5... and several 8P RS3's...

Oh, and they come with a proper anti-squeal shim incorporated, as do Redstuff, but NOT Audi OEM - and there lies the 'squeal' problem...

 

[V6_Man]

Drop your registration into the Ferodo link, Tash, and find the FDB pads for your car and then check with 'buyanycarpart' on eBay and for £100 or less I'd drop in a set of these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads and evaluate

If, and you need to check, they're FDB1629 front and FDB1655 rear then these are £34.98 and £30.99 from buyanycarpart, delivered. I think for £65.97 I'd give these a try first - they sure stop a 2500kg SQ5... and several 8P RS3's...

Oh, and they come with a proper anti-squeal shim incorporated, as do Redstuff, but NOT Audi OEM - and there lies the 'squeal' problem...

Hmmm. Again, Interesting, thanks for that. I will have a look tonight John

 

[45bvtc]

Hmmm. Again, Interesting, thanks for that. I will have a look tonight John

PS re' option #1 and #2, a 3rd I'd strongly recommend would be a 2016 SQ5, just sayin'...

 

[V6_Man]

PS re' option #1 and #2, a 3rd I'd strongly recommend would be a 2016 SQ5, just sayin'...

So, for SQ5 these are 4-pot calipers just sized up for Q5 to fit the 380mm discs at the front, correct? If so, that might be an option but then wouldn't I also end up changing the hangers and splash shields as well. I am still trying to get my head round it as brakes go over my head

And if I was to go Q5 route, all I'd be doing would be to get new set of rotors and either DS2500s or the ones you recommended.

However, my only question re: Q5 4-Pot is whether or not I can go 365s instead of 345. I am not sure where to clarify this from

 

[45bvtc]

So, for SQ5 these are 4-pot calipers just sized up for Q5 to fit the 380mm discs at the front, correct? If so, that might be an option but then wouldn't I also end up changing the hangers and splash shields as well. I am still trying to get my head round it as brakes go over my head

And if I was to go Q5 route, all I'd be doing would be to get new set of rotors and either DS2500s or the ones you recommended.

However, my only question re: Q5 4-Pot is whether or not I can go 365s instead of 345. I am not sure where to clarify this from

Choices, choices, but no Tash my point was/is for you to consider something else for example a 2016 SQ5, like so:

Comes with superb 380mm plain (i.e., non-floating, drilled or slotted) disc brakes with 4-pot calipers up front - and now with Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads

 

[Mr_Freeze]

Hi John,
Haven’t heard your name mentioned for a long time now.
How’s it going these days, I see you still have “Bluey”?
I finally sold my 3 and I’m in a S1 discovering how to have fun driving a car again.

 

[45bvtc]

Hi John,
Haven’t heard your name mentioned for a long time now.
How’s it going these days, I see you still have “Bluey”?
I finally sold my 3 and I’m in a S1 discovering how to have fun driving a car again.

Hi Neil... Yes, I still have BLUEY. As said in October 2011 I'd be keeping BLUEY for 10-years and that's still our intention. BLUEY is now at a little over 14k miles (?) and just perfect in every way (but not suitable for hospital parking!). We still have the TT, too; RS3copilot just ain't letting that go.

Our recent hospital transport was a 185bhp A1, 7-speed DSG and all the toys but the ride too and from hospital over Staffordshire's potholed and dropped grid roads was getting me down, so that was swapped for an SQ5 and since the SQ5 came along neither the RS3 and/or TT have seen many miles: for why and how the SQ5 see: https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threa...-and-counting-down-to-a-place-near-me.386559/

And I did provide Hussey/Guyver with the 8P RS3 Sales docs that I know assisted in his purchase of 'Lightning' so am happy that all worked out and that the car has gone back to your home town; just brilliant, couldn't make that one up, lol...

The S1 sure is a FUN tool, but so was our A1 with 185bhp and 7-speed DSG (see post #23, #39, and #46 in the link above), loved it, especially in the snow with winter rubber, I'm sure you will too. Not sure of your interior mind, lots of yellow - and that from 37-years in a Lotus yellow Elan Sprint; but I'm 100% sure you'll enjoy.

And I don't do much hands-on these days, although I did have an RS3 in the garage last week for brake pad change; I'm afraid 3-times weekly hospital commitments have put the damper on such fun - so just help/advise here on ASN whenever I can.

Did you consider RS3 to SQ5? See post #50 in the link above for our S1 and SQ5 experience at Stafford Audi Feb 2015, it was the SQ5 that surprised me most and now, having evaluated many, I've no regret of a change.

So yes, still here, and hopefully for many years yet: hope ALL is well with you and yours

 

[Mr_Freeze]

Hi John,
Good to hear you’re still around.
The wife has always had Q3’s so I know what you mean about the SQ5, must be a nice ride.
We wanted a change so she got the new A1 with auto on a 2.0 TFSi and I plumped for the S1 to have some fun.
Out of interest what sales docs are you referring to that you sent Hussy?

 

[45bvtc]

Hi John,
Good to hear you’re still around.
The wife has always had Q3’s so I know what you mean about the SQ5, must be a nice ride.
We wanted a change so she got the new A1 with auto on a 2.0 TFSi and I plumped for the S1 to have some fun.
Out of interest what sales docs are you referring to that you sent Hussy?

Never left ASN, Neil; there's much more for us here with the Audi's we've had and/or have; PLUS ASN has Sandra - who as everyone knows is AWESOME...

Our supercharged/turbocharged A1 was great and with a paddle-shift 7-speed DSG just amazing and even with a much modified suspension just didn't provide what this 74+ year old 'wanted' for the way-too-often hospital runs; so on one Sunday in March this year I decided a change, as said "spotted the SQ5 on Sunday last and bought it on the Tuesday , just too good not too" and with 650Nm @ 1400rpm the darn thing is a riot...

Here's the covers of the Sales docs sent to Hussy: 1) 2012 RS3 Pricing and Specification Guide and 2) RS3 Sportback Catalog:

​

It obviously helped and Hussy is very much enjoying the car as I'm sure you know.

PLUS several RUTHIN (GREAT day) photos with BLUEY and Lightning, together, like so:

PS: lots of my A1 posts in the A1 section...

PPS: doubt BLUEY has done 50-miles since BIG bluey arrived, sad but true...

 

[45bvtc]

Hi John,
Good to hear you’re still around.
The wife has always had Q3’s so I know what you mean about the SQ5, must be a nice ride.
We wanted a change so she got the new A1 with auto on a 2.0 TFSi and I plumped for the S1 to have some fun.
Out of interest what sales docs are you referring to that you sent Hussy?

Re RUTHIN, Neil, I think this is one of yours:

​

Thank you...

 

[Arkious]

FULL credit to Arkious for recommending in the first place.

I reviewed available reports and having been convinced put a set of these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads on our recently purchased SQ5 (@ 2500kg) and was immediately impressed with their performance; great low speed 'bite' with low noise and very low dust - as good if not lower than EBC Redstuff that I have used and recommended for some time for the 8P RS3, however...

See Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads: https://www.ferodo.co.uk/products/light-vehicles/eco-friction-brake-pads.html

"Already fitted as Original Equipment on Mercedes-Benz C-Class since March 2014 and Audi A4 since September 2015"

So impressed I'm now running these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads on our 8P RS3, and 8J TT, too.

And this week, I fitted a set (FDB1877 and FDB1636) on yet another 8P RS3 - changing over from 2/3 worn Redstuff: once fitted I gave 'em my usual bedding-in process and was immediately impressed.

And the owner 'back home' reported "so far great, obviously not used in anger but the slow speeds bite is much improved even at this early stage..."

Front and rear for the 8P RS3 at less than £85 delivered from Buyanycarpart (eBay)

Cheers John, I cant take credit for finding them as they were recommended to myself by RS3Dell. However, they most certainly get my recommendation to others!

They are actually fantastic low cost and low dust pads, I don't know how they would hold up to track torture but they are fantastic fast road pads. The brake dust is quite easy to remove from the alloys too which is just the cherry on the top in my opinion.

I will be fitting a set to the Q5 when they next call for it that's for sure!

 

[45bvtc]

Cheers John, I cant take credit for finding them as they were recommended to myself by RS3Dell. However, they most certainly get my recommendation to others!

They are actually fantastic low cost and low dust pads, I don't know how they would hold up to track torture but they are fantastic fast road pads. The brake dust is quite easy to remove from the alloys too which is just the cherry on the top in my opinion.

I will be fitting a set to the Q5 when they next call for it that's for sure!

Well here's to RS3Dell, Jay...

Ferodo Eco-Friction Green brake pads going onto the TT now, fronts already done and already feel brilliant; rears later today/tomorrow but in process - and ALL 4-corners for £51.67 from buyanycarpart.

For sure those on the SQ5 will be in action within the hour...

 

[xtremedetailz]

Just bought a full set front and back for the RS3 and it was £75 off amazon cant say fairer than that

 

[Gazwould]

Where do they fit in with Ferodo DS Performance as they are also higher performance low dust pads ?

https://www.ferodoracing.com/products/car-tuning/ds-performance-brake-pads/

 

[Arkious]

They are one below DS performance, but only 40 degree difference in heat capability for a bit extra coin

 

[WesT-gefül]

Sorry to bring this up from the dead. I was searching how others have got on with EBC Redstuff pads on the forum. I actually found out that they make these as OEM pads for the Audi A4 b9 (production started 2015). They are much cheaper when bought as Ferodo branded. Roughly a £40+ Audi tax for front brakes when buying Audi branded when comparing online prices. It’s the same thing.

 

[45bvtc]

Sorry to bring this up from the dead. I was searching how others have got on with EBC Redstuff pads on the forum. I actually found out that they make these as OEM pads for the Audi A4 b9 (production started 2015). They are much cheaper when bought as Ferodo branded. Roughly a £40+ Audi tax for front brakes when buying Audi branded when comparing online prices. It’s the same thing.

Still mega happy with Ferodo Eco-Friction Green pads on our 8P RS3, as are others with an 8P RS3 on which I have fitted 'em. And soo happy with 'em on our SQ5, sure stops a 2+ ton motor with ease. Our TT is awaiting summer evaluation but initial trials felt 100% positive.

Unlike with the Redstuff - which I advocated for so long for the 8P RS3, these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green pads have NOT lost their low-speed/initial bite. 100% recommended.

 

[Gazwould]

The Redstuff initial low speed bite is the aggressive 'brake in' surface coating that conditions the rotors .

I haven't noticed any drop off on two cars with full sets once the brakes are beded .

 

[45bvtc]

The Redstuff initial low speed bite is the aggressive 'brake in' surface coating that conditions the rotors .

I haven't noticed any drop off on two cars with full sets once the brakes are beded .

You've told me that before Gazwould and I've not responded (or even care much these days, big C and all that) but I do well understand the brake-in compound EBC apply to their brake pads AND the reasons 'for/why.' And yes for 50-miles or so I'd agree the brake-in coating does afford 'extra' bite - though I'm well able to get rid of that 'brake-in' coating within 10-miles using EBC's 'own' bedding-in procedure. I've even re-stripped my own brake assemblies to check - it was part of my profession after all! And on cars belonging to 'others' - needing to drive 'home' from my premises - then maybe less than 10-miles! I've had my hands on more than enough 8P RS3 cars than I can recall, since 2010, with stupid/pathetic dusty/dirty/squealing OEM Audi GmbH brake compound issues - and posted here more times than I'd like, but mainly from sheer frustration.

Oh for the 60's and 70's when the asbestos content gave none of these pathetic 'braking' issues.

That said, ah, feel better now; these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green pads are the best road going brake pads I've experienced and work soooo well on our TT and RS3 and that's something I couldn't say for Redstuff (OK on the RS3 but rubbish on the TT) and on the SQ5 are just superb with sooo litlle disc wear.

No surprise (to me) they are OEM fit for some current build cars and will, I am sure, for others - something that'll NEVER come to pass for EBC!

That Redstuff works for you and your driving style, Gazwould, that is good! They didn't do it for me long term, but to date these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green pads are

 

[Gazwould]

I'll look forward to trying them some day .

 

[45bvtc]

I'll look forward to trying them some day .

You ought! Anytime you're passing WS12 let me know, I've anyone of three you can try, and it' be good to meet...

 

[WesT-gefül]

Still mega happy with Ferodo Eco-Friction Green pads on our 8P RS3, as are others with an 8P RS3 on which I have fitted 'em. And soo happy with 'em on our SQ5, sure stops a 2+ ton motor with ease. Our TT is awaiting summer evaluation but initial trials felt 100% positive.

Unlike with the Redstuff - which I advocated for so long for the 8P RS3, these Ferodo Eco-Friction Green pads have NOT lost their low-speed/initial bite. 100% recommended.

As I have had these fitted standard and as you know Audi have these branded but made by Ferodo for the b9. I’ve found them very good too but dusty. They have worked well and keep the bite like you say.

I have now fitted Redstuff pads & EBC oem disks recently. Redstuff generally like heavier vehicles I’m told. For me personally the brake in coating didn’t work as well as in your experience I found once they were bedded in they got much sharper and pedal feel improved considerably. This was replacing all four disks at the same time. I also had the brake fluid change done which I think some people overlook. My local Indy put on brake grease which EBC doesn’t supply and I’ve had zero brake squeal from day one.

I did about 500 miles of normal driving. No hard braking and then a few mild stops and then 5 hard stops (not dead stops). Now they are fully bedding I find these mighty. Brake pedal feel is now very progressive and the car stops on a dime. Got no fade, whatsoever but I don’t do silly speeds anyway. I can’t rate the pads and disks enough but one thing to keep in mind I’m on fresh disks and I had fluid replaced even though it wasn’t due. Will be fitting them from now on. The dust reduction for me is a added bonus and the RedStuff pads are meant to be easier on the disks.

 

[Gazwould]

Both not high mileage .

OE Pagid
4 days .

5 weeks Redstuff inc those 4 storms we had .

 

[WesT-gefül]

@Gazwould how do you find those tyres. vredestein. What is the model?

 

[Gazwould]

https://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Vredestein/Ultrac-Vorti.htm

 

[Gazwould]

What is Ferodo Eco Friction's high friction coefficient score ?

 

[grainqey]

+1 for the ferodo eco premium had the redstuff and then swapped brakes and tried some trw dtec pads which were a bit wooden (think the compound is too hard tbh)

The initial bite is better on the ferodo as stated above and think the pad is softer and possibly a bit less noisy but yet to fully bed them in properly as I'm running quite a bit bigger pad surface area